During your studies

The cost of living in Heidelberg comes to about EUR 1,000 per month.

See a rough estimation of the costs. *Not all the fees listed apply to you as a M3EP Student

If you do not wish to cook, meals are available at Heidelberg University’s “Mensa” or cafeteria at a moderate price. Do not forget to bring your student ID in order to get the student price, and not the external price.

Accommodation is expensive in Heidelberg and finding a cheap place to stay is not easy. The Erasmus Office obtains a number of rooms from the Studierendenwerk Heidelberg in the form of dormitories for 4 EU+ Erasmus students like yourself. It is LIKELY that you will get a room, but NOT GUARANTEED. Most of the rooms are in Neuenheimer Feld or Mark Twain Village and some are also located in the beautiful old town.

Prices for a room in these dormitories range from EUR 200 to 360 per month, depending on the type of room and its facilities.

In the event that you do not get a room, you have the following options:

A one-bedroom flat will cost EUR 500 to 800 upwards per month on the private housing market. Rooms in a private shared flat (“WG “– Wohngemeinschaft) are available for about EUR 400 to 600.

Another option would be to find a flat a bit further away from Heidelberg if you have a public transportation card. This would save you money.

The International Relations Office as well as the ERASMUS Accommodation Service will be able to assist you.

When you receive your certified transcript of records (ToR) from UCPH, you must ensure that your credits are transferred to Heidelberg University. You should apply for credit transfer NO LATER than one month after the start of lectures. It is strongly advised to apply for credit transfer during the first week of your first semester in Heidelberg.

The credit transfer can only be made if you have (applied and) enrolled for the third semester of the M.Sc. in Economics or M.A in Political Science at the University of Heidelberg on HeiCO (Heidelberg Campus Online). HeiCO unites all processes of the "student life cycle" from application and admission to degree programmes to course management, exam administration and graduation in one web-based system.

You transfer your credits from the University of Copenhagen to Heidelberg University by uploading the certified transcript of Records (ToR) from UCPH in the HeiCO Campus Management System.

It is not necessary to register to attend the lectures. Only if you choose a seminar (e.g. Designing Field Experiments) it may be necessary to register approx. 2 weeks before the start of the seminar. Details can always be found in the course commentary in HeiCO.

EU/EEA citizens:

International students from EU/EEA countries do not need a visa nor a residence permit to stay in Heidelberg for their studies.

You must still register with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (Bürgeramt) as described below.

Non-EU/EEA citizens:

International students from non-EU/EEA countries must apply either for a residence permit or for a visa according to their home country.

If you need a residence permit you must apply for one no later than 90 days after entry into Germany (for which countries a residence permit is necessary can be consulted in the link below). The application is submitted to the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde).

A Visa may be necessary according to your home country (please consult the link below to see if your country is in the list). M3EP Students can apply for their Visa at the German embassy in Denmark. This should please be done a few months in advance as this is a time-consuming process!

Read about visas and residence permits for international students.

All M3EP students whether EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA citizens must register in person at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (Bürgeramt) within 14 days of their arrival in Heidelberg. This is required by law. You can either make an appointment to register or you will have to come during a specific time slot (depending on your area of residence in Heidelberg).

To register, you will need:

• a valid form of identification (such as your passport)

• a confirmation of accommodation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung).

If you are living in a student residence hall run by the Studierendenwerk, the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung will be given to you by the residence hall administration.

For all other types of rental accommodation, you will receive this document from the person letting the room or flat to you.

Academic year and semester structure​:

• Winter semester: 1 October to 31 March​

• Summer semester: 1 April to 30 September ​

• Lecture times: 15 weeks within the semester ​

Lecture-free period during the winter semester: two-week Christmas Holiday

Lecture-free period during the summer semester: public holidays of the state of Baden-Württemberg

The semester times are not identical with the lecture times, which vary a bit every year, but always start in mid-October for the Winter Semester or mid-April for the Summer Semester (see link below). There are no lectures on public holidays. The time between the winter and the summer semester can be used for internships, but it should be noted that this is also the period in which the term papers are usually written.

See further semester dates.

The social and economic sciences benefit from their own campus, Campus Bergheim. Based in a former hospital building, the campus is situated close to the central railway station as well as the old town of Heidelberg. It hosts the Campus Library Bergheim, the common library of the institutes of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences. In addition to the library collection of titles on sociology, politics and economics on four floors, there are 300 workplaces for students, including individual workplaces and rooms for group work.

The courses of the International Study Centre of Heidelberg University are offered for all language levels.

If you decide to arrive in Heidelberg as of 1 September, you will not only have the opportunity to get to know Heidelberg before the semester begins and do a bit of sightseeing, but you will also have the chance to enrol in a one-month intensive German course and get to know more students like yourself.

This one-month whole-day course costs around EUR 370. If you arrive in Heidelberg as of 1 October, you will be able to choose between taking two hours, four hours or eight hours of courses per week.

Read about the language courses for international students.

Heidelberg is considered one of Germany's most beautiful cities and boasts an exceptional quality of life. The city and its environs offer a wealth of recreational activities, including culture, sport and leisure. Due to its size, the city is walkable, and all sites of the university can be reached easily on foot, by bike or by public transport. The city is linked to major European centres by rail and to the world through Frankfurt Airport, which is 45 minutes away by train.

For sightseeing, please visit the website the City of Heidelberg.

Events and trips are also organised via the Erasmus Student Network.

The thesis must be submitted four months after the day of registration (three paper copies plus a digital version). There is neither a defence nor any other form of final oral exam. The main supervisor must be a professorial member of the institute/faculty in charge of the programme; a second (internal or external) supervisor is required. It is your responsibility find a supervisor.

The German study culture may be very different from what you have experienced in your home country but may be similar to the one in Copenhagen. In Germany you may experience a more free and informal study environment, which, at first, might be very appealing but it also requires that you have a lot of self-discipline, as German universities will not “take you by the hand”. You need to be very organised and work by yourself.

Heidelberg University as well as the Alfred Weber Institute for Economics (AWI) have a “Buddy programme”, which aims to assist new international students. The Institute of Political Science (IPW) does not have such a programme, but Heidelberg University will find tutors for IPW students. Whether an AWI or IPW student, please register for the buddy programme.

Plagiarism is a serious offence and will not be tolerated.

Heidelberg University has strict rules concerning plagiarism and has means of detecting it. You can also take the Moodle e-learning course entitled “Avoiding Plagiarism”.

By submitting the thesis, students confirm that they comply with anti-plagiarism rules.

The thesis is not published.

Student performance is assessed using national grading scales (as required by national legislation).

Please see the overall table showing all the M3EP universities' grading scales under 'Joint M3EP grading scale' on the page 'before study start'.

The teaching staff of the relevant institute is available should you need debriefing on the examination results.

Please read carefully the regulations on the use of AI at the Alfred Weber Institute for Economics (AWI) and at the Institute of Political Science (IPW)

Heidelberg University asks each student for an individual course evaluation. This evaluation is carried out in the online survey tool Evasys.

At the end of your year in Heidelberg, an evaluation of your specific M3EP track will be conducted online to know if your expectations have been met and to further improve the programme.

Examinations and regulations differ depending on whether you are student at the AWI or the IPW.

Further information will be added in due course.

The expected living costs in the different cities, and as you can see in the table below, you will need approximately Eur 860 a month to cover living expenses in Milan.

Cost	EUR/month
Rent	500
Transportation	30
Food	200
Books	50
Misc.	80
Total	860

Read UMIL’s guide to living in Milan as an international student.

Finding a place to live is, naturally, an important part of your mobility concerns both in the first and second year. Types of housing and rental costs may vary from country to country. Additionally, it can be extremely difficult to find accommodation, so we strongly suggest that you accept the accommodation offered by the local housing offices.

For help to find a place to live in Milan, see UMIL’s page about accommodation.

You can also contact InformaStudenti for help.

In order to transfer exam credits and grades to the UMIL career (electronic student record), you must send a cerified transcript of records (ToRs) of the results obtained during the first year of study at UCPH to UMIL through InformaStudenti.

According to Italian law, students who are EU citizens do not need to apply for a residence permit.

Student who are non-EU citizens must submit their EU residence document obtained in Denmark during the first year in Copenhagen. In addition, they are also required to deliver the declaration of presence within 8 days following their entry into Italy to the central police station (Questura) of the province where they will live (e.g., Questura di Milano, in most cases). The declaration of presence form is available at the Questura or at any Police station. It is important to keep a copy of the declaration for your records.

Both EU and non-EU citizens must register at the General Register Office (Ufficio Anagrafe) of the municipality where they will reside during the second year in Milan.

Read further information on residence documents.

Read about declaration of temporary residence in Milano for international students.

Your courses at UMIL are divided into two semesters (60 ECTS credits total) of 4-5 months.

1st semester: Late September to mid-January

2nd semester:: Late February to mid-June

See the online calendar at UMIL.

The language centre of UMIL (SLAM) offers Italian language courses which are free for all international students. The courses cover all CEFR levels between A1 and C1 and take place every semester, from October to January and from March to June, usually in the evening in order not to interfere with other courses.

Every summer, SLAM organizes courses in Italian language and culture at the University branch in Gargnano on Lake Garda. These courses are open to international users (i.e., students enrolled in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or single-cycle Master’s degree course, Erasmus+ incoming students, PhD students, research fellows, scholarship holders, and specialisation school students) proving at least the B1 level of Italian language proficiency. These courses last three weeks and include 90 hours of Italian language and culture learning and activities. Participants are selected via a call for application and could be granted a scholarship or self-funding their accommodation.

The master's thesis is the final component of the M3EP programme, reflecting original research conducted by the student on a subject relevant to their course of study, supervised and guided by a faculty advisor.

The master’s thesis corresponds to a total of 30 ECTS credits and includes specific preparatory, ancillary, and core activities conducted throughout both semesters of the second academic year.

Preparatory and ancillary activities (9 ECTS total):

• Climate Change and Energy Economics Reading Group (3 ECTS)

• Master's Thesis Preparatory Traineeship or Italian Language Skills (for non-Italian speakers only) (3 ECTS)

• Joint Thesis and Employment Workshop (3 ECTS)

Core activity (21 ECTS): Research activity, writing, submission, and discussion

Thesis workflow

The thesis process at the University of Milan for M3EP students is structured into three distinct phases, designed to guide students from topic selection to final defense

1) Conceptualization Phase

Topic Selection. Students choose a research topic related to M3EP and attend the Climate Change and Energy Economics Reading Group during the first semester to explore ideas and begin drafting their proposal

Proposal Preparation. A written proposal must include research rationale, questions, objectives, literature review, methodology, timeline, and suggested supervisor(s). It is due to the local coordinator by mid-February Approval & Supervision . Each student is assigned a supervisor who provides feedback. After revisions, the proposal is formally approved.

2) Research and Writing Phase

Research Activity. Students conduct literature reviews, data analysis, and empirical research, with regular input from supervisors. The thesis must demonstrate originality in content or approach. Ancillary Activities. Students must attend an Italian Language Skills course (for non-Italian speakers only) or complete a Thesis Preparatory Traineeship, (e.g., fieldwork, research assistantship or external internship). Read more about the internship. Students also present early findings in a Joint Thesis and Employment Workshop.

Thesis Drafting: The thesis typically includes the following sections:

• Abstract

• Introduction

• Literature Review

• Methodology

• Data &Results

• Discussion

• Conclusions

• Bibliography

Students follow citation standards and submit drafts according to the supervisor’s timeline.

3) Submission and Discussion Phase

Submission. Final theses, once approved, must follow university rules on format and deadlines.

During your studies, you will work with real-life problems and get exposed to field realities, both during excursions, compulsory field course in the first year, and during your master’s thesis, as M3EP puts a great emphasis on applied research.

You will experience different types of teaching during your M3EP studies depending on the university. For example, at UMIL you will experience:

• lectures

• theoretical exercises

• classroom discussions

• group work

European higher education is characterised by an analytical approach. This means that you are encouraged to compare, analyse, and critically assess information. You are expected to work independently, to discuss and form your own opinion.

Often work is carried out in small project groups, where you train your interpersonal skills. The international study environment provides you with an opportunity to work with fellow students from all over the world and develop your intercultural communication skills and competencies as well as developing an international network.

None of the M3EP partner universities tolerate plagiarism. It is a serious offence as the plagiarist takes credit for work that rightly belongs to someone else. In that sense it can be considered stealing.

If you plagiarise it can have serious consequences for your further studies.

It is important that you always refer in a clear and concise manner to the sources you have used in your assignments. You can always reach out to your teacher or head of studies if you are unsure about how to cite sources correctly.

For further information regarding plagiarism and policy you can see also here: https://www.sba.unimi.it/en/tools/17608.html

Please see the overall table showing all the M3EP universities' grading scales under 'Joint M3EP grading scale' on the page 'before study start'.

Read all details about artificial intelligence at UMIL.

UMIL asks students to give a personal evaluation of the teaching activities through an online questionnaire accessible from Unimia. There is one questionnaire for each course which must be completed before registering for the exam.

The course evaluation questionnaire is a precious source of data through which the University identifies problem areas and gathers suggestions for the continued improvement of its educational offering, and of the teaching, administrative and digital services that accompany students during their studies.

Read more information.

Assessment methods will vary across courses, depending on the teaching approach chosen by each instructor. Common forms of assessment include written and oral examinations, midterm and continuous assessment tests, written practical reports, essays, oral presentations, fieldwork, and final reports.

You can find the forms of assessment for each course at UMIL in the course catalogue (expand the “Educational Plan” and click on each course title to find information about programme and assessment).

As an M3EP student you must comply with all university regulations both at your first- and second-year institutions.

Read the regulations at the University of Milan.

Please refer to the breakdown of the costs of living in Prague, prepared by Charles University’s Centre for Information, Counselling and Social Services (CU Point).

Charles University runs a number of dormitories in Prague. Each dormitory has housing assistants who can help you settle in.

You can also choose to stay at one of the private dormitories that we can recommend or in private accommodation.

For more information, please visit the following page:

• Accomodation

Visa-seeking students are issued a dormitory contractto be used in the visa application; this may also be arranged for non-visa students.

If you wish to move into a Charles University dormitory, please contact degreeprograms@fsv.cuni.cz to request a reservation.

For your second year of studies in Prague, you will be enrolled as a student by our International Degree Programs Office.

Students will need to send in their certified Transcript of Records to the administrative coordinator of the programme during the first half of September. The transcript will subsequently be transferred into the Student Information System (SIS) by the International Office. Enrolment for the second year begins in the second half of September as students register for courses, and is conditional upon their transcript having been recognized by the International Office.

During September, you will be invited to an orientation meeting where you will be asked to sign an enrolment document.

Prior to study start, you will also receive your credentials for SIS from the International Office. In SIS, you will be able to register for courses, manage your schedule, sign up for exams and see your grades.

The Academic Calendar, announced for each academic year, sets the timeframe in which you can register for courses throughout the academic year as well as the dates by when you are able to deregister from courses.

Upon your arrival in Prague, you will also need to obtain your student ID card at the CU Point office.

Before coming to the Czech Republic, students from non-EU/EFTA countries must obtain a visa for the purpose of study. IMPORTANT: For students from some countries, this may mean that they will have to travel back to their home country to submit their application (and pick up the visa, if they choose the long-term study visa).

There are two types of study visa: you may choose between a long-term study visa and a long-term residence permit for study purposes.

If you are a long-term visa holder, you are legally obliged to register with the Prague office of the Czech Immigration Police within 3 days of your arrival, unless you are staying in Charles University dormitories – then the dormitory will do the registration for you.

If you are a long-term residence permit holder, you must go to the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) office within 30 days after arrival, in order to get your biometric ID card.

Students who need a visa will receive their admission letter from CU in March of the first academic year (EU students can receive it upon request if they need it).

Please refer to our visa guide for more information:

• How to get a visa

The academic calendar is published on an annual basis and is announced during the spring of a given year for the upcoming academic year.

The academic calendar may be found at the following link:

• Academic calendar

Most of your classes will take place at the Jinonice Campus, which hosts the Institute of Sociological Studies (ISS) and the Institute of Political Studies (IPS). Some of your classes may take place at other venues, such as the Hollar or Opletalova buildings.

For more information on our buildings and how to reach them, please visit the following link:

Faculty Buildings

A wide variety of language courses (including Czech language) are available to CU students free of charge at Faculty’s Centre for Language Learning and Pedagogical Training. You may enroll in a course of your choice in SIS during the course registration period.

The Faculty of Social Sciences has a Buddy program which pairs new students with students who are either Czech citizens or international students who have been studying in the Czech Republic for some time. Your buddy can also help you with administrative and practical matters and show you around the city. Please visit the following link for more information:

• Get a buddy

In addition, the Faculty organizes a variety of events on a regular basis that you can partake in and are informed about via email, the FSV website and social media.

You can also join one of the student clubs or take part in sports classes.

• Student activities

• Sports

Beyond the faculty itself, Charles University offers rich cultural opportunities. For more information, please visit the following link:

• Culture

At Charles University, students have to defend thier master’s thesis and pass state exams in the final year of their studies.

More information about the thesis and state exams can be found at the following link:

• Final exam and thesis

The M3EP coordinators will support you in the process of finding a supervisor suitable for your topic. With the support of the supervisors, you will submit your final master’s proposal to SIS in November of your second year of studies.

Throughout the academic year, you will be enrolled in two MA thesis diploma seminars, which will guide you in the process of thesis writing.

The exact date for the submission of the final MA thesis in SIS and the registration for state exams is set by the Academic Calendar, but the deadline is usually at the end of April or the beginning of May for the first thesis defense and state exam term in June, and at the end of July or the beginning of August for the second thesis defense and state exam term in September.

At Charles University, you will follow the study plan for your respective specialization and its mandatory and elective courses, but you will also have the opportunity to choose optional courses (such as language courses).

Most courses consist of a lecture part and a seminar part, with the former being more theoretically oriented and attended by all students of the course, and the latter more practical and usually split into smaller groups.

More information on how studies are organized is available at the following link:

• What is study at FSV UK like?

At Charles University, you will find a supportive learning environment, with a variety of resources to guide your studies.

The CU Point’s Centrum Carolina offers support to students who face any kind of challenge in the course of their studies:

• Centrum Carolina

Students with special educational needs can be granted modifications of study conditions to complete their studies successfully. More information is available at the following link:

• Students with special educational needs at FSV

At Charles University, plagiarism is regulated by the Rector’s Directive no. 13/2020 .

The Directive defines what is meant by plagiarism, as well as how plagiarism is assessed at the university. According to the Directive, Charles University “rejects plagiarism in all its forms and avows the principles of academic integrity provided in its Code of Ethics as well as in internationally accepted documents.”

Please see the overall table showing all the M3EP universities' grading scales under 'Joint M3EP grading scale' on the page 'before study start'.

More information on how your grade point average (GPA) will be calculated, as well as the conditions of graduating with honors / distinction may be found at the following link:

• Grading system

Charles University does not prohibit the use of AI. The University has an official position on AI, further specifying its use:

• Official position on AI at CU

Moreover, the University has also developed recommendations regarding the use of generative AI for university students, available at the following link:

• Recommendations regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence for university students

The Faculty of Social Sciences has also developed recommendations on the use of generative AI tools for its educators:

• Recommendations for using generative AI tools

At the end of each semester, you will be invited to evaluate the courses you have taken via an online questionnaire in order to provide feedback to improve the quality of teaching.

The evaluations are used by heads of departments and institutes at the Faculty during the process of teacher evaluation.

The type of examination will vary depending on the course you take during your second year of studies. Examination procedures are regulated by the university.

You can read more about the types of course evaluation and grading on the FSV website:

• What is a study at FSV UK like?

Example distribution of expenses of a student in Warsaw:

Cost	EUR/month
Rent	340 - 500
Transportation	30
Food	160
Books	60
Misc.	90
Total	680 - 730

UW’s Dormitory: about EUR 150-250 per month, depending on the type of room and location.

Students apply for dormitory via USOS Web once they have access to it. Acceptance depends on Student Welfare and Support Office UW

Renting a room in a shared apartment: EUR 350-500 per month.

Renting an independent apartment: from EUR 600 upwards.

For the first semester courses registration will be done by the administration. For the second semester courses, students will have to register themselves in USOS Web.

For detailed information about visa process and residence permits documents, please contact a Welcome Center officer. At FES, we have our own Welcome Center office.

You can find the academic calendar on the Faculty’'s website.

In addition to our faculty, UW has several campuses. The main campus is located 15 minutes from our department in the heart of the Old Town. Some of our classes or exams may be held there, so it is useful to know how to get there.

Please see the campus maps.

In School of Foreign Languages, you can find a great selection of language courses – Polish as well. We recommend to use student’s tokens that are assigned to each student and register: https://szjo.uw.edu.pl/?lang=en

Cultural immersion

Warsaw is a very metropolitan city with many opportunities. Please visit our website to find out more about our culture.

To submit your thesis, you must follow the instructions at our website.

Aks your supervisor how to navigate the requirements.

THE THESIS: Find an interesting topic from your field of study and talk to our teachers if one of them would agree to be your supervisor and help you with your thesis. You must register in USOS Web for his/her thesis seminar. The selection of seminars will be published at the UW website.

The administration and our teaching staff can assist you if you need help.

Our department has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating and using various apps to do things for the student. This applies when writing papers in classes and at exams as well as when writing the thesis. Read the detailed information on cheating.

Please see the overall table showing all the M3EP universities' grading scales under 'Joint M3EP grading scale' on the page 'before study start'.

Teachers at our department are eager to explore the existence of new forms of learning. They encourage you to use AI wisely and use the information obtained as a scientific aid.

Information will be uploaded soon.

Examination sessions along with other deadlines are published in our academic calendar. We encourage you to read the rules and regulations of study.